Me, Myself, and Jake
by Shadow- Reaver Squadron leader
Summary: When a portal opens up to Dirt's mythological counterpart, a sheriff, and an outlaw must team up with an unlikely ally in order to stop the encroaching darkness.  Rated T for violence, some language. Don't read if you don't like demons and such.
1. Introductions

A familiar form slithered into Dirt under cover of night, almost trying to hide "Nothing is going my way today." it hissed, the rattle/Vulcan on it's tail not making a noise. The form coiled and looked at it's shadow opening it's mouth and exposing it's fangs, or rather, fang now. It sighed recoiling and nursing a bullet-wound in it's side "Damn that demon to the darkest pits of hell, damn him to The Devil's personal torture chambers!" it cursed another form stepping out from a building not far away

"I trust your not here to cause trouble, eh, Jake?" it asked, a hand on the magnum at it's hip.

The snake hissed slightly in reply "Rango..." was all it said before slithering slightly closer "Your in for a tough next couple days... Sheriff.. There is a demon coming to town, one born from the darkest pits of hell, a place where I myself refuse to tread." The rattlesnake finished as it stared forlornly at it's weapon, I am your only warning, when I was attacked, I had ten of the best shooters and the worst outlaws you will ever find here, they never fired a shot. This demon gunned them down with a single bullet, one to each. With my 'partners' down his sight's set on me. I managed to escape, but only after I had wasted every bullet I owned and what I could pull from the fallen. I pay for that though, for two of the shots found their way to my fang and side. I lost my fang, and damn near lost my life trying to get here. Get me a room, and a doctor in the morning, and I'll give you all the details you would ever want of that gruesome scene. Then I will be on my way." The snake said reciting his small tale as the Lizard listened turning and motioning for him to follow

"Then rest up, doc will be by in the morning. Don't cause any trouble and we won't have a problem, although in your current state, I don't think you would be much of a threat, then when you aren't as trashed." Rango replied Jake following silently and entering the in, which was accommodated for his visits, be them somewhat-friendly or not. Rango walked to the bar and spoke some quiet words with the barkeep who went wide-eyed and looked at Jake, for not even a second before rushing off to prepare the room. Two minutes passed by, and the barkeep returned holding the key out to Rango, who in turn offered it to Jake who hooked it with his one remaining fang, and slid off to his room.

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"And you are?" a voice hissed in the haze

"A concerned citizen." responded an unfamiliar voice it sounded happy as if the person speaking was smiling

"Concerned enough that you would risk your life for a pitiful piece of shit town?" another voice asked the sound of a gun being pulled coming near the end from the sentence.

"Concerned enough that I will put you 6 feet under should you threaten it." The voice hissed out in reply threateningly "Now I suggest you leave before you do something you regret."

"On the contrary, Lizard, your going to regret ever trying to interfere. Take him down." One other voice spoke, his own. What happened after that lit up the haze with images of the bodies after each shot fired. Six, then a reload for four, then those as well. Jake's Vulcan fired lighting up even the bodies once more, and the twisted terrifying look of their killer, another reload for six. Yet a shot for two and a gun clicking empty, then... Jake screamed in pain the sound of boots falling towards his curled, pain-wracked form. "You, how?" he asked another shot firing, and Jake bolted upright from where he was lying breathing heavily

"Just a dream... Just a dream..." he repeated lying back down, unable to get to back to sleep.

_**The next day.**_

"So this is Dirt." A mysterious figure said standing on a cliff overlooking the city "I was expecting someplace more... interesting." it chuckled, it's hand resting on the magnum at his hip. He thought for a moment and jumped off the cliff spreading wide black wings to arrest his fall. Walking forward he entered the town, with not a look back to where he was.

Entering it slowly, he noticed the eyes on his form, hidden beneath a cloak as black as night 'They seem to react normally to the presence of a stranger within their town, especially one with the air I own.' he thought looking out from underneath his hat, which covered his face well. He took a step towards the Saloon and entered it all action stopping upon his arrival. He smiled under his hat and walked up to the bar, eyes on him every step of the way. Reaching his destination he took his hat off and laid it on the bar, revealing regal reptilian features "Give me a glass of the strongest stuff you got." he asked the barkeep working right away to get him the drink. Slowly people started going back to their self-appointed tasks, until a glass banged down on the table "What was that, friend?" the stranger called to one of the men playing cards

"I said, Ignore him. He wouldn't have the balls to stir up trouble here, not with both Rango and Rattlesnake Jake around." A Naga by the looks of him, and he laid down a full house pulling the chips on the table towards him

"care to take this outside, brother? Although I doubt you'll be returning to take your money." the stranger said the Naga reacting to the stranger's words pulling his gun and slithering over "You have five seconds to take back your threat before you have a bullet through your skull." it said cocking the hammer back and starting to count the gun even with the back of the stranger's head, and only an inch away "5... 4... 3... 2..."

"Time's up brother." The stranger said, a gunshot sounding as the Naga fell backwards, blood gushing from the fatal gunshot in his throat. The stranger got up, and picked up the body, slinging it over his shoulder "Let me take out the trash for you, Wouldn't want it to stink up the place." he said walking out and dumping the body next to the door to the astonishment of the town. Walking back in he smiled, noticing the most important of all the eyes on him, Sheriff Rango's.

"Now if any of you boys want to try and start trouble, you go right on ahead. Every single one of you troublemakers will be meeting you maker." The stranger said letting the threat hang and walked up to his seat, the action in the saloon resuming with whispered questions circling underneath the normal racket. One of the patrons stood up and walked over to him "Sir, excuse me for asking, but what is your name?"

"My name... Hm... I guess it will have to be Shadow." he said thinking quite hard

"Shadow, you didn't know your name before?"

"Honestly, I hardly used it for so long, I forgot it. People tend to call me the stranger, until I prove that if anyone so much as pisses me off then I will stick to them like their shadow until one of us is dead." he finished, more for the crowd then the person asking. "I'm here on business though. Where is Rattlesnake Jake..."


	2. The first move

"Sheriff! Sheriff!" Waffle called running down the boardwalk to the jailhouse

"What, Waffle, what is it?" Rango asked kneeling down to eye level with the Horned Lizard after walking outside to see the commotion.

"That Stranger you said to watch fer is here! I talked to 'im! He said his name was Shadow, and that he was lookin' fer Rattlesnake Jake!" Waffle said out of breath slightly

"Where is he?"

"Still at the saloon where I left 'im."

"Alright, go inside and tell Beans to get you some water. I'll go have a talk with this Shadow." Rango said pushing him towards the door and starting off towards the saloon his face wearing a worried expression "This could either go really well, or really bad." he said pulling out his magnum and taking a look at the amount of shots left his famous one bullet already loaded, and he loaded five more. "I have a feeling it will end worse than horribly."

Rango entered the saloon his hand on his weapon everyone clearing a path to the stranger, knowing exactly who the Sheriff came for "I hear your looking for Rattlesnake Jake." he called taking a step towards the place where Shadow was sitting

"What of it?" Shadow called back "From what I hear of the terror he has caused, I would have expected you to come in asking to help me."

"Yeah, well he is in my protective custody, and I don't take a liking to people walking into my town and killing it's inhabitants." Rango responded "So why don't you just-"

"Go with you?" Shadow asked cutting Rango off "I'm sorry but if I go with you I'll probably be stuck in a jail-cell, something I don't need happening right now. So unless your here to shoot me, I'm not leaving, with you." Shadow said "so we could take this outside, or you can leave." Shadow finished getting up and facing the lizard, as Rango got a good look at this stranger. He seemed regal, kingly even with three horns protruding from his head on either side curving backwards menacingly. He seemed skinny, but built to survive, his hands ending in wickedly sharp claws. His scales, were an astonishing midnight black, the same color as his cloak.

"After you then. Shall this be lizard to lizard, or would you rather face my entire posse?" he asked as Shadow walked out, stopping in the doorway

"One man, or ten. It won't matter, the results will be the same." Shadow smirked walking out the rest of the way

"Lord save me." Rango prayed looking to one of the Patrons "Go grab the others." he said walking out after Shadow and taking his place on the opposite side of the road from Shadow, each member of his posse walking out their hands on their guns, but one who made his way up to the bell-tower and pulled out a rifle, aiming it steadily

"So ten men?" Shadow called his hand moving from his gun to a ready position for a duel, Rango and the others doing the same

"Draw" both of the main combatants said as all of them pulled the gun from their hip and fired launching bullets everywhere around them one buried itself in Shadow's side, and all his shots struck home. Hitting each in their gun arm rendering it useless. All that was left to hit was the rifleman on the bell-tower, where the bullet hit him. He fired his last shot, hitting the rifleman in the shoulder, as in a familiar scene, fell from the tower grabbing his shoulder tightly, to staunch the bleeding. "Your lucky Sheriff, if you didn't have that rifle on the tower I would be taking your weapon by now." Shadow said clutching his side, blood dropping from it in a cascade of deep crimson red. "You have a doctor in this town, I'll see you there when you can walk." he finished walking off slowly to slow the blood-loss, which was becoming heavy fast."

Rango laid there, stunned for a second before pushing himself up with his useable hand walking slowly to the doc, following the blood trail Shadow had left, the others following suit as the rest of the inhabitants of Dirt stood slack-jawed at the sight they just witnessed.

"Did..."

"Uh-huh."

"How?"

"Only the lord will know."

One set of eyes though watched the entire event grimacing at the familiarity until he saw Shadow get hit in the side and he stood still, but remembered his rifle-man was hit before he could get a shot off

"He let himself get hit." The watching snake mused to himself replaying his own defeat at the hands of this 'Shadow' "this thing is truly a demon to hit his mark every single time." The snake slithered back from the window, and closed it for the crack he opened it. He was still favoring his right side, where the bullet hit, but it wasn't as much as what Rango and his posse would be feeling.

A small part of him was whacking him for not trying to help, it was snuffed out by his will to live. And so Jake remained quiet, and docile for the moment, slithering back to his bed and climbing inside "All the more reason to bide my time... I think he was expecting me to watch this... baiting me to come after him while he is wounded only to fall prey to a trap." He said settling down and trying to fall asleep for the fourth time. He had nothing better to do, and was feeling quite tired, mostly since he could barely get any sleep last night if any at all. "the best thing to do is wait until we are both back to full, then we will face off once more, one final time." Jake thought as he coiled himself neatly and laid his head down, falling asleep to the murmurs of disbelief from the crowd.


	3. The True Enemy

Shadow was the first to step out of the doc's office. He touched his side gingerly his eyes finding the one window that continued to remain closed. "I knew you wouldn't take the bait Jake, actions speak louder than words, and yours are screaming final showdown." he mused to himself his gunbelt over his shoulder "Everything can change in that final showdown, especially with two people as dangerous as we." He finished walking off towards the local inn.

_**Later that night...**_

Images swirled around in Shadow's head as he tossed and turned in his bed sweat beading on his body

"_Don't touch her!" Shadow called dual Colt .45 magnums in his hand_

"_Why should I not?" A dragon said from the other side from him, it's gun even with a black dragoness' head "She's oh, so pretty, and I'm sure she would love what she would get..." it said pulling her closer as she whimpered_

"_Shadow, help..."_

_Shadow held his guns aloft both of them aimed at the dragon across from him "Get you grimy hands off of her! She would never do anything with the likes of you!" he called taking a step forward as the hammer went back_

"_Not a step closer." The dragon growled "Boy you had better watch what you say and do, or little missy here is going to have a bullet in her head" it said a smirk on it's face as tears began to fall from her face "Now drop your weapons and kick them to the side, and I will let her go."_

_Shadow looked on for a second more, ten reluctantly put both weapons on the floor and icked them to the side "There, now release her."_

_The dragon did as promised, letting her go as she ran to Shadow jumping into his arms he comforted her lightly as she held onto him, and his heart dropped like lead when a shot ran out. The dragoness leaned on him heavily, life quickly fading from her emerald eyes and he snapped his vision turning blood red and becoming blurred by tears._

"_You really thought I would just leave her to you? Ha! Your a fool, and now your going to be lying on the ground along with her!" it said readying another shot aimed pointedly at his head_

"_Leave for heaven and stay safe, my love-" Shadow said laying her down on the floor, blood mixing with the dirt "**for I sure as hell I won't be seeing you there!**" he called the shot deflected by pure demonic energy "**The devil torture your soul for eternity.**" he murmured as his guns flew into his hands. The next shots that came for him were wild, a sign that their owner was now afraid. Afraid of what Shadow had become. What Shadow was._

"_Y-your Lucien, the one they call the brother of the devil!" it said backing off a small bit, before he pulled his gun back up and fired 3 more shots Shadow raising his own weapons slowly, red lines crawling up his body in jagged slash-like patterns_

"_**Your time is at an end.**" he called pulling the triggers and releasing a hail of bullet's on the dragon's form, which launched it back onto a cross which twisted into a pentagram and locked around the dragon's wrists "**Your alignment is shown. Now, I would start praying to whatever god you have that they intervene before I finish.**" Shadow smiled walking towards the figure his eyes completely a blood red as he raised a pistol up to the bottom of the dragon's head, right where it connects to his neck "**Now to meet the one you claim to work for.**" he smiled a chasm opening beneath the dragon as the trigger was pulled, killing him, it, it's blood splattering against the symbol it was tied to "**wake.**" Shadow commanded and the dragon woke the chasm lighting up until a pillar of flame launched from it burning the poor soul alive "**now fall.**" was the final command and the pillar dragged the burning symbol and soul down into the deepest pits of hell, the dragon screaming in pain and agony the entire time._

_The town's people watched on horrified, clutching bibles and priests keeping a bottle of holy water near them. Shadow stood over the corpse, then looked around each person looked at fleeing from their windows with a small smirk, he left the town the minute he stepped outside it's borders, though, the road lit up in flame, scarring it for whatever time it had left and leaving a permanently black dirt road._

Shadow woke with a start, sweat pouring down his body, and he held himself curling into a ball "Lucien..."

_**'My other half.'**_

"What is it you want?"

_**'you know the answer already.'**_

"I hunt him for my own reasons."

_**'and I hunt him because I can, we both know who's drive you tend to fill.'**_

"That portal opened for a reason, with Jake gone, it won't exist, Jake is the trigger, and he is the anchor. He needs to die to keep our worlds separate."

_**'Very well.'**_ Lucien said fading from Shadow's mind thinking only to itself now _**'He doesn't realize it. Jake was the trigger, but he is not the anchor. The minute you stepped into this world, Shadow, you anchored the portal with my demonic energies. Jake was lucky enough to get away the first time, but that bullet would give him insight into my plans, and so he must die. You are nearing the end of your usefulness Shadow, and when you do, you will know the truth, only when it's too late... Shadow... or should I say... Sitael.'**_


	4. The Man, The Myth, and the Legend

Over the next couple of days Shadow had spent around the town, he managed to get to know the people, and their desires through sitting in the tavern. People were wary of him, but he never intended any harm to any who didn't try to harm him pretty soon after people started approaching him and talking with him, and they found out he was a very sociable fellow. Soon after that, he was gambling with them and drinking with them. One particular day though one of his friends in town decided to ask him why he hunts Jake, and he grew grim in response.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, just pretend I didn't ask!" he said throwing his hands up like he was about to be shot

"No, it's fine... I'm sure you heard of the hero who took on the bandits that were threatening the town over there?" he asked pointing towards the north-west

several heads nodded in unison, and one was calling other people over for the tale "so what happened? Who did it?"

"Your looking at him." Shadow said in response "I took down them all, one bullet to each. The only one left was Rattlesnake Jake. He was the one that got away, barely, but he did. Left him with a shot in his side. So I've come looking to finish him off. You see, Jake is an anchor for a portal that leads to my world, and with him still alive, that portal stays open leaving any amount of creatures big, small, holy, and demonic, to enter. I'm here to stop that, to shut the portal so that it doesn't tear our two worlds apart." Shadow told

"That portal is the cause of a couple of the people here, being here. Like him, he is a Naga; half snake, half man. Him he's a cockatrice, why he wears those darkened glasses all the time. To keep from killing people. So there is your proof, and if you want more, find Jake and look at his right side. There should be a bullet-wound there." Shadow said asking for a round of drinks for the entire Saloon "although there are more reasons, I wish them to stay next to my heart, so do not ask, you will not receive any." he said getting up and donning his hat, walked out to the murmurs of the crowd. The fourth time he had done this since he arrived

"What you think it is Wounded Bird?"

"Probably Girl."

"Right, you Waffle?"

"I dunno, maybe he had some sort of life changin' event?" Waffle said as a familiar rattle sounded near the back

"Or maybe..." Rattlesnake Jake replied "He is looking to stop that fellow they call Lucien." he finished as the entire saloon grimaced at the name, the mythological inhabitants more than the others

"I heard he killed a man by staring at 'im" Waffle said

"I heard he had killed someone just by saying their name." another said

"I saw Lucien with my own two eyes." said a dragon from the back of the room, female by the sound of the voice

"Well lil' missy." Jake responded dipping his head "Do tell."

"He is a black dragon, with a black cloak, but that isn't his most distinctive feature. When at the height of his power he would appear as a demon, torn black wings, with jagged red slash-marks running along them, with more running along his body connecting to blood red eyes that see into your soul. If he sets you in his sights, you might as well kill yourself, and let god judge you, for this demon should your alignment show dark, will send you to the deepest, darkest, pits of hell. There has only been one person to escape his wrath, and that person is sitting in this room, and slides on his belly." She said as all eyes went to her a stark white dragoness with silver accents "Shadow, isn't hunting Lucien though. And his secret is one that tortures him every day. One that I swore to a higher power to keep until the day hell comes to earth."

"He told it to you?" everyone asked at once, Jake staying silent upon realization of who this was

"And it will not come from my mouth either, if it is told, it will come from him, not me, or anyone else." She said getting up and following Shadow out when everyone would look outside though, they wouldn't see anyone.

"Well, well..." Jake hissed lightly "I think we just saw the Spirit of Silver."

"Silver?"

"Yeah, the lil' one was a Dragon named Silver, Sitael's mate. Lucien ended up killing her, and Sitael disappeared. Some say she looks after the people she thinks is her lost mate, others say she empowers those hunting Lucien, so she can have her vengeance upon him for killing her and making her lose her Sitael." Jake told chuckling lightly "Whatever the reason, the appearance of Silver marks the coming of Lucien, and she was told to be a bad omen, something to fear. When Lucien decides to come, though, differs from story to story, once I head he came three days after, others I head he came years after." Jake said slithering towards the door and taking a look to see if Shadow was anywhere around "All of them are clear that Lucien does come, and when he does, it leaves an eternal scar on the land." Jake said exiting as well and quickly making it into the inn and into his room before Shadow could find him, still not ready to face him

"Lucien, coming here?" a couple people asked to their friends as the mythological patrons dropped to their knees, or in some cases, their upper part of their underbelly. Two even fainted, and two more rushed out to their homes looking to get the hell out of town.

"Jake better watch out..." one said with a dry mouth "Should Lucien get to him... He's going to wish he died by Shadow's hand."


	5. His Lord, His Savior

Night settled upon Dirt, slowly as if just waking up sluggishly and yet to have her morning coffee. Our Favorite gun-slinging rattlesnake however stood awake watching the horizon for any signs of Lucien, the devil's brother. Something about the scene though, brought memories back for a long while ago, almost too long to remember without some sort of aid. He tore his eyes away from it, forcibly cutting the memory off "This ain't the time to be day dreaming."

"No, it isn't." a voice returned from the door "If I recall we have something to finish up don't we?"

"Shadow..." Jake replied with an angry, but respectful hiss.

"I thought you would have noticed me earlier." He replied joining him at the window, where Jake started looking out towards the sunset again "I've been standing there for as long as you've been staring."

"Just get to the point. What the hell do you want."

"I want to give you an explanation before you die tomorrow."

"You don't have to explain nuthin' to me. I already know what you are."

"Really? Then you should know my one secret, the one I keep closest to my heart."

"Your Sitael aren't you? No other reason for Silver to be here."

"Silver here?" He asked before shaking his head to rid himself of the oh-so familiar gunshot ringing in his head, the one that sent him over the edge, allowed him to be controlled. "Doesn't matter, but that is not what I came here to tell you."

"Then, what?" Jake asked smiling inwardly

"Lucien and I are hunting the same person. Jake, we are hunting you. Him for his reasons, me for mine." Shadow replied

Jake laughed slightly at the statement "And how do you know he is hunting me?"

"Because Lucien and I are more connected than you think."

"You can't possibly be telling me you are Lucien. That would be worse then Rango claiming I'm his brother! It's impossible-"

"If you don't believe me, take a good look at the bullet hole you have in your side, you said you were spawned from the pits of hell, I would like to see you control the energies enough to look into your future using the energies in that bullet. I know you don't have enough power to look otherwise." Shadow said turning and leaving, stopping at the door for one final message "Should you tell ANYONE what I told you here, I will let Lucien have you, and you will only be left to pray to whatever god you have before we finish this, tomorrow."

Shadow left then, leaving a stunned snake to his final words.

A couple minutes later, when Jake finally regained his senses, he was on his bed, undergoing the normal ritual that would lead to him harnessing the demonic energies hidden within the bullet in his side. His Vulcan was off and set up in front of him his tail resting on it, dripping blood from an ever-bleeding symbol of the devil marked on it. Soon, it grew red and the bullet in his side shown through the skin with a darker red light, both resonating with each other, joining, one giving power to the other for what was going to take place. Holding his tail aloft he started reciting a mantra in Latin over and over, growing more powerful with each verse until with the final verse shouted, the entire room was bathed in demonic red light his eyes turning the same red as his future, and the future of Dirt was shown to him.

Staring deep into space Jake saw a black land, destroyed and dead with a blood red sky looking angrily down upon it. He turned his head, and more came into his field of view the entire room around him was destroyed, as well as every other building in Dirt. Few of it's inhabitants barely living off of the dead land in whatever way they could. He saw beans, older, and heavy with child, Rango walking in front of her protectively leading along two other children, both around seven and eight, and both had the haunted look of death in their eyes, after being forced to kill to stay alive. All three looked skinnier, and barely healthy, and scared for their lives. He turned his head more, and lying in the middle of the road he saw two bodies, one set up on a throne of bone and the dead, the other, set prostrate before him. Willing his vision further he saw just exactly who these two bodies belonged to. The one on the throne was Shadow, his head lolled forward in the most signifying form of death, and the one on the ground, was him two more bullets in his side. Turning further, he looked straight into the eyes of the most feared creatures anywhere

"Look, Jacob, Look and tremble at what you started, what you triggered."

Jake bent low in response his face near kissing the floor at his hoofed feet "My lord! Had I known what would become of this place I would have headed your advice! I had not know he would pull your rightful realm from beneath your feet."

The creature snarled kicking Jake to the side "Fool! If you had headed my warning then this would have happened a lot sooner, and you would be lying there just as you see now! Yet here you are blindly reaching for whatever could stop your fate, you lost your ability to kill him when you let yourself get shot! Why this was as easy as it is is because the energies had time to resonate, to join, to become one! Your energies can't touch him now, because you both wield the same! There is only two now who own the means to defeat him."

Jake got up slowly from where he fell slithering back humbly while keeping his head low "Tell me they who shall defeat this, my master, and I shall use them to stop him."

"Rango, and Sitael. In order to secure the second though, I had to make a pact with my old lord, and his Seraphs. I promised him that I will not use this opportunity to cross into the world, but I can act through those loyal to me in order to stop this fate. You have been chosen Jake. Bring together both Rango and Sitael, use them to stop Lucien. I fear I am running out of time though, so look into my eyes, cast your gaze deep, to discover the means to the end." it said taking Jake's head in it's human hands and gently brought him to look deep into it's slitted pupils burning ever detail of it's plan into Jake's head upon release from it's grasp, Jake recoiled backwards and started coughing up blood. Not enough to kill him, or even enough to be a concern, and her smeared his master's number in it, and offered praise

"I shall do what you wish my lord."

"Then leave me, leave me to ponder the fate of my realm, when this scene shall change is when I know you shall be successful. Lucien, destroyed. Only tell Rango and Sitael of this event."

"But where will I find him?"

"He looks to kill you." the creature responded as the sight faded from view everything, to leave him back in his room, a small puddle of blood under the place where his tail fell, as well as a bit of it smeared into a triple 6 on the floor

"He looks to kill me..." Jake pondered as he wrapped his tail and slid it back into his Vulcan, cleaning whatever was on the floor. Offering another silent praise he slipped out of his room a slight shimmer of a hoofed and horned man nodding in acknowledgment, before disappearing from view.


	6. His true form, Presence unbound

**Sorry for the (semi-)sabbatical from the story people, writer's block strikes at the most inopportune times. **

**~_Shadow_**

_**The Next Day**_

Shadow awoke slowly, feeling somewhat weak, sighing, he shook his head ignoring it "I have more important matters to deal with today, come noon, only one of us will be left standing Jake."

Jake awoke as well much to the same train of thought, and he prepared his weapon, making sure it was loaded "only one thing can stop me now." Jake gave, with several clicks to get his rattle loaded. Before slithering out to the saloon to grab himself a drink or two before noon.

Shadow on the other hand was checking himself over, cleaning his weapons, and making sure every part worked perfectly. The black dragon went about this task with an apparent dedication, as if the task itself was saving him from madness. His shadow moving seemingly of it's own accord, as Lucien prepared for what he knew could not be stopped. The train was set into motion, the gears turning. Even if the emergency brake was tripped, he would still coast miles before his plans come to a halt, and even then, most of them would be complete, and all it would require is a small push from him before everything was changed forever. Lucian began to laugh, a silent dark laugh that emanated across the planes, but stayed quieter then the dirt on which the town was built.

The two combatants finished their preparations before taking their positions, a minute before noon. This was it, the moment Lucien pushed for, Shadow yearned for, and Jake feared.

"You ready?" Shadow asked, his hand hovering close to his gun.

"As ready as I'll ever be fer this here event." he gives, his rattle turning as it loaded a couple rounds

A white dragoness watched from the saloon, where the vast majority of the townsmen who stayed were at the moment. Breathing stopped as the countdown started. Ten... Nine... Eight... Rango stepped out from his office, looking on from the sidelines. Seven... Six... Five... Lucien pondered on the tasks that led to this moment. Four... Three... Two... Shadow and Jake tensed, ready to draw the instant after they heard the last number. One... The two moved so fast, it was a blur to the bystanders, four bullets whizzed by Shadow, the fourth hitting him in his chest and the fifth in his off-hand.

Jake didn't fair better, the first two bullets impaling themselves in a bloody explosion in his underbelly a third bouncing off his rattle-gun and the last three shots whizzing harmlessly past. Both pitched forward, seemingly dead. Shadow though, moved a minute later, clenching his teeth and fist through he pain, he moved through the haze of blood-loss to grab his gun, which he aimed at an unconcious jake and pulled the trigger. Clicks where his response as he dropped, now completely unresponsive.

The town soon busted into activity, one doctor hurrying over to treat Jake, another doctor tending to Shadow, Who, with an exclimation of surprise, grabbed at the hand Shadow gripped him with, red marks slowly starting to crawl their way down from his red eyes. It scared the man immensely, and a couple seconds later, when Shadow was fully covered in those horrible red, puffy looking red marks did he stand, still holding the doc by the throat. A low growl, and said doctor burst into flame, screaming his agony to everyone present, who were frozen in terror and astonishment.

The doctor did not survive such horrible black fire, soon, his body was hanging limp within the demon's grasp, who carelessly tossed him aside into a heap. The demon began walking, the dirt turning black as it's red-accented scales from such an intense evil presence. "**Finally...**" it hisses, Shadow's voice horribly distorted and, for lack of a better word, evil. "**Finally I am free... Finally I do as I wish... Finally, I can RULE!**" His hands shot skyward, and with an intense screaming sound, thousands of cracks opened on the road, leaving souls to pour into the sky, frozen in agony. Their cries a piercing wail of pain, terror, and agony. Whispers spoke to everyone, women who didn't exist were crying, men were calling out for loved ones long gone. From those cracks spewed black fire with the souls, and blackened bones reached their way up, crawling out of the openings to hell and grisly taking up weapons. Bits of flesh still clinging to their malformed and destroyed bodies. Blood, poured out of empty eye sockets. The one remaining doctor, quickly grabbed up Jake, and carried his ass back to Rango, who hurriedly got him inside. The white dragoness turned with a gentle sigh away from the scene of horror. Everyone had either rushed out of the Saloon, hastily grabbing their stuff, or were stood frozen at the sight before them. Watching as their world was taken over, swiped out from under the feet of both God and the Devil.

She was just prepared to leave when looking up, she saw a ocean-blue dragon holding a hand out to her.

"My Silv..." he smiles, a smile the white dragoness didn't see in ages.

"S-si?" she asks, her eyes lighting up In happiness, joining her love once more "Si! Oh, my Si..." she nuzzled the blue dragon, oblivious to everything but him "Finally... your back where you belong..."

The blue dragon nuzzles the white one gently, "How I've waited so long to hear that nickname again... Sitael... It's almost a ghost to me now..." he kissed her lightly "Although I don't think I'll be joining you back in my old place at his holy table. I've... I've done so much..."

The white dragoness was quick to shush his thoughts away from what he did in the past "Our lord is forgiving. His mercy knows no bounds, you remember what he did with the one the humans call Jesus. How he helped the Jews in their endeavors. How he gave Mohammad his teachings."

The blue dragon nodded his assent "Yeah... I remember... but this..." he looked out to the window, watching as the dread warriors attacked every house, slaughtering those who didn't fight back. "This is unforgivable, and I let it happen."

Silver shook her head again "He has already forgiven you, Love of my heart. Your punishment was complete ages ago. Your no longer bear the title 'Fallen' It wasn't by his will that you remained with that demon for the rest of your mortal life. It was by Lucien, and his mad grab for power. You were used by a demon wishing to satisfy his desires. He coveted the world, and he will pay for it. Though, that is for another time. We must go."

"But I can't leave them behind. I couldn't live with myself if I did." Sitael responded. "Not Rango, or Jake, or the people of the town I've come to make friends with, nor the others I've gained along the way. I have to stay, if only to help them retake their world, but please, go back home. Rally our forces. Try and get the angels involved. And for god sakes, get that bastard Samael to shut his ass up and see that this is only the beginning if we don't get the council involved now."

Silver giggled lightly "Being mortal changed you, my love. I like it, and I'm sure His mercy will extend to grant you your request. I shall go immediately, stay safe." she gave him a quick kiss, then seemed to phase out of existance as he felt light, and then heavy as his body gained physical form, muscles and bone growing where previously there was none. Then came the fun part. Sneak past Lucien and find Rango and Jake. Though as engrossed in finding a place to put his castle he would build over the bodies of the slain and fallen, Sitael didn't think he would have much of a problem with that. Steeling himself for the battles ahead, he opened the saloon door, and charged out.


End file.
